


How Peter Parker Actually Started Working for Tony Stark

by TheSeasonOfWinter



Category: Spider-Man - All Media Types, Spider-Man: Homecoming (2017)
Genre: Bonding, Father-Son Relationship, Money Troubles
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-11-17
Updated: 2018-11-17
Packaged: 2019-08-24 19:03:01
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 4,787
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16646003
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/TheSeasonOfWinter/pseuds/TheSeasonOfWinter
Summary: Peter Parker sells pictures of Spider-man to the Daily Bugle who only write about how evil the superhero is.Tony is quite upset about this.





	How Peter Parker Actually Started Working for Tony Stark

**Author's Note:**

> A one shot that I've been thinking about. Is Homecoming Spider man gonna need to sell his selfies in the future? Are we gonna get another Jameson in Spider man Far From Home?

Peter loves his suit. Like, it’s amazing. It’s functional, protective, high tech, and it was given to him by Iron Man. He loves it. But there are times when, after a long day of mundane schoolwork, exciting crime fighting, and work now that Peter was sixteen, the young superhero just couldn’t wait to take off the iconic red and blue and fall into coming more comfortable. 

Like a coma.

Peter crawled into his room barely suppressing a groan, feet catching on the window pane which resulted in Spider-man tumbling onto the floor. Face planting into his dirty room was the icing on the cake. Peter just let himself say there for a second, sighing deeply before tossing his backpack on his bed from his position on the floor.

“Peter? Is that you?”

Head snapping up, Peter thanked God the door to his room was closed as he frantically started to take off his suit.. 

“Hey, May. I’m in my room.” Peter tried to sound nonchalant, but he could practically taste how bad that lie was, the top of his suit stuck over his head as he tried to take it off while staying upright. Unable to see, Peter bumped into his desk, sending dozens of textbooks and papers onto the floor and he mumbled a curse. 

Free of the top half of the suit, next came the pants. Stumbling around some more, Peter fell on the floor in his desperation to get the bottoms off.

Peter could hear footsteps approaching his room, panic quickly swelling in his chest.

“I didn’t even hear you come in. Or see you for that matter.”

Aunt May was literally just outside his door, Peter imagined her hand reaching for the door knob. Free of the bottoms and standing in his room in only his boxers, Peter looked at the suit in his hands and then around frantically, trying to find a place to hide it.

“I - uh - You’re always on your phone, May.” Peter hopping in a half circle. Why did all of the usual places look to obvious now?! “I don’t think you’d notice if the - uh - um - building burned down . . . or something . . .”

There was a good natured huff from outside the door, the shadow cast by Aunt May’s feet shifting from under the door. “I’m not that bad, Peter.”

Her hand was on the doorknob, opening it, the door creaking, and in the split second, Peter made a decision. He hopped on his bed and stuffed the suit in his beige pillow case. Taking up a position he hoped looked natural, Peter looked up at Aunt May as she walked inside his room.

Her face took on a deadpan expression once seeing him. “So is suddenly being shirtless the new thing or are you just needing the confidence boost?”

Peter blinked then looked down at his boxer clad self and flushed a deep red. He flailed for a his blankets, knocking more things over including his backpack and pillow in his quest to cover himself. Once properly cocooned, Peter leveled his gaze with May’s amused face.

“That’s why you shouldn’t barge in on people!” He remarked.

Aunt May laughed as she reached down to drag his backpack towards his desk. “I called before I even came in. How long have you been here?”

Peter’s eyes widened as she also reached down for his pillow, cradling it in her arms as she looked at him.

“N-not long, just - you know - an hour maybe?” Peter avoided her gaze.

Aunt May nodded as she walked over to sit on his bed. “Makes sense. I only got here 15 minutes ago. How was work?”

Peter almost didn’t hear her, his eyes glued to his pillow sitting innocently in her hands. “Oh - Oh! Um - fine, it was fine. Couldn’t really get any pictures today, but heh - things - um - that’s what happens sometimes. Easy come, easy go, I guess . . . hehe . . .”

Aunt May laughed. “It’s perfectly fine. You’re the only one who can even get proper pictures of Spider-man anyway.”

Laughing nervously, Peter couldn’t help but feel a little embarrassed. It was only him and Aunt May now, and his school isn’t exactly cheap. Neither is their tiny apartment. After Uncle Ben died, Aunt May tried her hardest to hold on to their other, nicer apartment, but it was too much for just her to pay for. They had to move, and even though she never said anything, Peter knew it hurt her that she lost the place she made a home with the man she loved. Peter already decided to work as soon as he was old enough so that he could help. So that Aunt May didn’t come home so exhausted. So that she could take a break every once in awhile and relax.   
Peter could remember when she would drag her feet over the threshold, eyes half-lidded and expression pinched. Just getting off her second job to come home and deal with the bills that would always pile up at the least convenient time. Peter would do all the housework and deal with all their rude neighbors and try his hardest to not be another burden to his only other family member, but it didn’t always work out. 

Peter’s gone more, not around the house to help lighten the load because he’s out trying to help people. Save strangers when his Aunt needed him too. Peter knew he could probably go to Tony Stark for help, but . . . It didn’t sit well with Peter. Tony works for his things just like the Parkers, and while he had a huge leg up on them, they’re all working. That’s when Peter decided to sell pictures of himself in the suit for some cash. 

A ton of people thought they were frauds, fakes that any kid could just Photoshop at this point. The Daily Bugle was the only place that would take them, and it was also the one company Peter had hoped to avoid. 

He had read the papers, had seen the headlines, and had forced a laugh as he tried to pretend those words didn’t sting. Tried to ignore all of the people who believed them.

Spider-man is a menace. 

Who knew advanced vocabulary could hurt so much? 

One of the worst things is that Peter doesn’t even know what he did to J. Jonah Jameson. What Spider-man did specifically that the publisher hated so much. The Bugle didn’t say any of these things about the other heroes. He definitely kept his mouth shut about the Avengers. Jameson wouldn’t even mention Captain America or the other Avengers that were now war criminals! Ones that Spider-man helped fight! On a request! 

But Peter and Aunt May really needed the money. They weren't exactly living large in Queens, and Peter had to have cash to make more web fluid. 

So he is officially a photographer for the Daily Bugle now, giving glorified selfies to a newspaper company for some extra cash and slander. 

“I don’t exactly agree with what Jameson says, but work is work, am I right?” Aunt May ran her hand through Peter’s hair. “How are your friends?”

Peter sat up, hands curling into his covers. 

“They’re still pretty upset with me bashing their hero.” He muttered. 

The decathlon team was furious when they found out that Peter was giving his pictures to the Bugle. Spider-man had saved their lives after all, and the fact that one of their friends was roasting him for money pissed them off. Flash actually punched him in the face, and Peter didn’t have the motivation to dodge.

They two boys both ended up in detention, sitting silently until Flash could punch him verbally with a ‘you’re only doing this because Liz liked Spider-man, aren’t you?’ Even Michelle was flaying him for his job, and she didn’t care about anything. 

Except the person who saved her team apparently.

Only Ned knew how much Peter hated it, but he also didn’t understand. Didn’t understand why he needed the cash that bad, and Peter didn’t want to go into it. Even he and Aunt May never actually verbally acknowledged how broke they were.

Aunt May rubbed his back. “Don’t worry. They’ll come around.”

She leaned forward and kissed his forehead before standing up. “Now! What do you want for dinner?”

Peter laughed, “It doesn’t matter to me.”

May nodded, “Spaghettios it is.”

She tossed his pillow on his bed and walked out, but not before calling. “Remind me to get you a new pillow! That one is ridiculously lumpy.” 

Peter let out a sigh of relief.

 

\-----------------------

Peter was zoning out in Spanish when Tony Stark walked in the classroom.

His head fell off it’s resting place in his palm and smacked right into his desk, causing everyone to look at him. 

Senora Gonzales stared at the billionaire, completely shell-shocked like the rest of her class. Peter was just sinking lower into his chair wondering what he could have possibly done to warrant this. Nothing bad had happened. Well, nothing extremely bad, anyway, cause bad itself is an occupational hazard to being a superhero. 

Peter glanced to his right to see Ned with his jaw dropping, looking for Ironman to Peter and then back again.

He then leaned over and whispered excitedly. “Did you know?”

“No!” Peter hissed, slightly horrified that someone heard. 

Tony took off his sunglasses and smiled at the teacher. “Pardon, Senora, but I need to borrow Peter Parker.”

Said student stared wide-eyed at his desk top as if it may help him here as every head in the room swung his way. People heard that he was an intern for Tony Stark, but thanks to people like Flash Thompson, so one really believe Penis Parker worked so close with a superhero billionaire. 

When Peter didn’t move, Ned shoved him, and it startled Peter enough to get up even though the push didn’t even move him an inch. Peter scrambled to the front of the room and looked at Tony. “Mr. Stark -”

“Get your backpack, kid” Tony put his sunglasses on and turned to the door, definitely expecting Peter to follow. “You’re not coming back today. You and I need to have a heart to heart.”

Hesitating for only a second, Peter rushed back to his desk and Ned handed him his scattered belongings, before running after Tony’s retreating form. 

Peter pretended he couldn’t hear Flash say “Looks like our Spider-hater is finally getting sacked for fucking with Iron Man’s allies.”

Peter ducked his head and ran after Mr. Stark.

\--------------------------------------------

Peter thought he’d lost him until he turned the corner of the hallway and felt hands grip the collar of his shirt and start to drag him towards the school’s front doors. Peter tensed instinctively, and it was only the sound of Tony’s voice that stopped the teenager from trying to get away.

“Okay, I’m not as young as I used to be - don’t really get how the minds of the future work - but there are some, you know, common human personality traits that have survived the test of time to prove over and over -”

“Mr. Stark -” Peter’s feet were catching behind him as he was yanked out the doors into the parking lot where Happy stood by a limo looking very unhappy, which wasn’t very unusual for Happy. If Peter wasn’t so nervous he’d laugh.

“Shut up.” Tony snapped, not looking at the kid in his grip, but he probably felt Peter flinch. “Spotlight’s on me, and I am talking that means you aren’t, capiche.”

Peter could tell Tony was not asking if he understood, and the teenager was panicking even more as the seconds ticked by. Mr. Stark never told him to shut up. Never really yelled at him until the whole ferry boat thing happened, and even that was more disappointment. 

This though, this was anger. This was actual fury, and Peter couldn’t help feeling a little afraid. 

Happy opened the door to the limo and glowered at Peter as he was pushed in. Was Happy angry at him to? Peter’s stomach rolled, what did he do?

The door slammed shut, causing Peter to flinch again, hunched forward a little. His eyes were wide as he watched Happy and Tony exchange quiet but quick words, before Happy climbed into the driver’s seat, Tony sitting in the back with Peter. 

Peter’s hands twisted in and out of the little holes in the fabric of his backpack, foot tapping the floorboard unconsciously. What had he done wrong? What the heck was happening. A thought struck Peter as he pulled his backpack closer to his chest. Was Tony here to take away his suit again? For real this time? Permanently? Peter’s mind started whirling, why didn’t he just do it at the school is so? Out Peter in front of everyone, ensuring that he could never crime fight again without giving up his identity?

But Tony cared enough to not do that to him right? Peter let out a shuddering breath.

Tony was looking out the window, pointedly not interacting with Peter but definitely speaking to him. 

“You know what sucks about being rich and famous?” Tony bit out in his weirdly fast-paced speech, sounding detached but furious. “There’s one thing you don’t have control over. The press. Can’t buy it or others pop up with wrong stories that equal disaster. No, no, no you got to play the press. Have to master it like it’s a game. Pull your punches, pick your battles, or else it will take you down faster than a bullet.”

Peter waited in silence, looking down at his bag. 

“So when some brat I decide to help, have been seen helping, have hired in the past, starts fucking around with cameras and newspapers, can you imagine how I reacted?” Tony turned toward the hunched teenager, who suddenly worried about how bad his new job was.

“Mr. Stark, I -” Peter started.

“I called my lawyers,” Tony interrupted. “I pulled in Pepper. We went over what could be done to recall those papers. To take down the whole ‘menace’ topic.” Tony used air quotes with Peter’s worried expression reflected in his sunglasses. “We went to Jameson afterwards with a game plan to file harassment. Pulling some strings with favors and bribes.”

Peter gulped. “Please, I -”

“And what do we learn?!” Tony threw his hands up in the air. “Nothing could be done with the account that someone just took the pictures and applied for a job in order to make some cheap cash. And who other then sixteen year old Peter Parker who was just lucky to fix a thrown out camera he probably found in the dumpster?”

Peter couldn’t help the anger he was starting to feel himself. “If you would just let me talk -”

“To say what?” Tony ripped off his sunglasses to glare heatedly at the kid. “I’m sorry I’m selling selfies to the newspaper? I’m sorry that I picked the one that would totally slander my name? I’m sorry I’m wasting all my gifts and talents for some dollar bills to fill my wallet?” 

Tears were almost pooling in his eyes, and Peter would be damned if he cried now. “That’s not it -”

Tony leaned back, “Oh my god.”

“It’s not!” Peter yelled back. “I had to go with the Bugle. No one else would take my pictures!”

Tony glared back. “You sure it was that and not the fact that they would pay the highest?”

“Tony.” Happy warned from the front seat.

“You think I like this?” Peter growled. “You think I get a kick out of being ridiculed like that?”

“I think you like someone noticing you.” Tony practically spat back. “I think you like seeing your name in the paper. Feeling important and newsworthy. So you sent in your own pictures under your citizen identity to see your name in lights. No matter how it looks. No matter what it does to others. As long as people notice what you’re doing. As long as you feel like a hero.”

During the entire talk, Peter had been sneaking one of his web shooters on his wrist, and he used it now to sling a web at the wheel, yanking it to the right to forcibly pull the car over. Happy yelled, and Tony cursed. Once they stopped, Peter pulled on the door, but it was locked. 

“Stop it.” Tony cursed. “Calm the fuck down. We’re going to the compound.”

Peter glared at him and said nothing. Using his super strength, Peter ripped the limo door open and got out.

Happy groan in irritation in the front seat. “Come on, kid. Get back inside and -”

Peter stepped out, ignoring the people gathering around the sidewalk to stare. He made eye contact with Tony. With venom he told him. “Yeah, it doesn’t seem like the photography thing is working out. Maybe I’ll just head over to Oscorp? I hear they pay good money for being under a scalpel.” 

He then pushed his way through the crowd, ignoring the shouts of his name.

\--------------------------------------

Peter sat in full Spider-man gear on top of a skyscraper, indifferent to the honking of horns and shouts of people below as they bustled about New York. He had cried for a good hour and a half in an alleyway before donning the mask, running from his problems in the literal way. He ignored his phone as it beeped and rang. Or yodeled really.

He didn’t want to talk to anyone, Tony’s hurtful words worse than the ones printed in black and white on the paper. 

Peter lowered his head to rest on his knees, letting out a breath. How many times was he going to disappoint his hero? How many times was he going to act like a kid? Throwing a tantrum and then running?

That wasn’t Spider-man. That was just Peter Parker being stupid. 

“What’s wrong with me . . .?” Peter whispered, dejectedly. 

Suddenly sirens sang on the streets below, and Peter let out a sigh before he jumped down to get to work. 

\--------------------------------------

“Fuck.” Tony cursed as he slammed the door. Happy sat in the front seat, watching his boss brood for a second before pulling out into the street again. Peter’s door swung a bit on its hinges, the limo beeping that a passenger door was unlocked. 

Tony ran a hand over his face. What was happening with that kid? Was he totally missing something? Pepper had given him a parenting book as a joke, but Tony was actually considering reading it now.

Chapter 1: What to do when your superhero kid starts selling pics to the media.

Tony felt a headache coming on.

“Happy,” He called, rubbing the bridge of his nose. “Can you pull us through the nearest McDonald's? This adult needs a burger and a coffee.”

Happy did as told, the blinker sounding. “So you’re an adult now?”

 

“One of us has to be.” Tony muttered. 

Happy wanted to say something, but had absolutely no advice to give. Peter always seemed like a good kid, he was a good kid. And he definitely wasn’t stupid, so there had to be a reason right? Happy really, really hoped so.

They were at the drive through in no time, Happy giving Tony’s usual to the intercom. (A limo at McDonald's was just Tony’s style, but he could barely enjoy it right now, he was in such a bad mood). Tony got out his phone, reading through his texts. Many were from stockholders, and council members, some from Rhodey and Pepper, but it was at times like these that Tony missed the team.

Clint had kids, so maybe this wouldn’t be so unfamiliar to him, but Clint refused to speak to him after being placed under house arrest.

Natasha was an expert in human behavior, she might know as well. Only she’s been AWOL since Berlin. 

Thor might know too, he at least had a sibling to compare it to. Even though Loki might just be a case study, but it didn’t matter. Thor was on Asgard and hadn’t been back in years.

Bruce was missing, had been since Sokovia, and Tony missed him. His cool head might be put to good use at this, but Tony could’ve lived with just confused camaraderie. 

And Steve . . .

Tony didn’t know if Steve could help. Tony didn’t even know if he wanted to talk to Steve or not.

“Hey, aren't you . . .” Happy’s voice said from the front seat.

Curiosity often the source of impulse, Tony leaned forward to look at the woman who was handing them a Big Mac. Tony’s whirling mind skidded to a stop when he saw her. 

“May?” He asked, pushing himself farther forward and almost climbing on Happy to meet her eyes. “What are you doing here? Don’t you work in accounting?”

May Parker looked completely started as she stood there in her McDonald’s uniform, a deep blush slowly spreading on her face though she kept her chin up. He eyes narrowed a bit as if daring Tony to make fun of her. 

She passed her food over. “Things have been a little tight since Peter’s uncle died, we need a little more cash.”

Tony and Happy both just stared at her in shock. May frowned more, her embarrassment still there. She shook the bag a bit, and Happy snapped out of it to reach out and take it from her. She reached back and got Tony’s coffee too. “Do you want sweetener?”

Tony could barely understand the question. “Do you need money? I can totally give you -”

“Mr. Stark.” May’s voice was hard but not hash. It could almost be passable as casual if it also didn’t make you feel like you were standing in front of a grizzly bear. Tony’s name caught the attention of people inside, employees and customers alike freezing to look at the scene. “I trust you’re not implying I can’t take care of my family, are you?”

“What?” Tony stuttered. “No, why would you -”

“Then I hope.” May continued, voice flat, handing Happy the coffee. “That the financial matters concerning me and my nephew will remain our business. That will be $6.92.” 

Tony looked at her for a long time, barely comprehending. Why was she doing this? Was the money that bad? But she had Tony’s phone number, so she could still ask - 

Happy gave her a fifty dollar bill, told her to have a good day, and drove off, shoving Tony back into his seat. 

‘She’s working at a McDonald's, Happy.” Tony told him, as if he hadn’t just seen it for himself. “She’s probably making minimum wage, and I -”

“And you what, Tony?” Happy told him flatly. “You could shower her in money? Push Peter through high school and college? Get her to retire early? They would never let you.”

And Tony knew that, but he still wanted to fix it. He wanted to pull out his wallet and shove thirty grand at the Parkers, because if this was a machine that would be the thing to do. If a machine needed oil, you gave it oil, and it needed a tune up, you gave it a tune up. Tony could so easily fix this but he knew they wouldn’t let him. And he somewhat knew why.

Tony sat slumped in his seat, staring at nothing, fingers twitching like he wanted to grab something. God, he had promised to take care of the kid, but apparently he and his aunt were what? Just getting by? Why was Tony so bad at this? Why didn’t he know -

“Here.” Happy handed him his burger, and then his coffee, eyes still on the road. “Before it gets cold.”

Tony numbly ate, not knowing what else to do. “So, when he got that job for the Bugle . . . ?”

“Yeah.” Happy nodded. “Yeah, I think so.”

Tony was such a bitch.

\----------------------------------------

 

“I just don’t get it, man,” Ned told him at lunch. “Why are you doing this?”

Peter flicked some of the carrots of his free lunch, sighing. “I know you don’t get it, but -”

“Peter Parker to the principal's office, please. Peter Parker to the principal's.” Came a voice on the overhead. 

The whole cafeteria seemed to slow down, as tables tuned at glared at him. The Spider-man spirit was still strong in his school, and Peter felt both touched and troubled by the angry stares and the hard shoves. Peter got up with another sigh, pushing his plate away even though he was starving. 

“I’ll see you later,” Peter told Ned, and walked out, ignoring the eyes he felt on his back.

The principal's office was starting to become familiar ground for Peter, he’d been in there enough over the past year. What wasn’t a familiar sight was Tony fucking Stark decked out in a blazer with those sunglasses again waiting for him in the lobby. 

Peter bit the inside of his cheek, feeling guilty for the things he said and angry that he felt guilty. He had a right to be upset damn it. 

Tony saw him and walked over, waving him through the front doors. “Come on, kid, let’s go get something to eat, I already signed you out.”

Peter hesitated, looking back at the woman at the front desk who was watching them with wide eyes. “Um, you can do that?”

Tony opened the front door and held it. ‘Yeah, your aunt named me one of your emergency contacts about a month ago. After you, princess.”

Peter, still feeling suspicious and guarded, walk out, Tony following him. They went to the limo that was waiting for them and climbed inside. Happy was the driver again, but this time he flashed Peter a small smile before they pulled out onto the street.

It was silent for minute before Peter said. “I’m not apologizing, so if that’s what you want, you might as well let me out now.”

Tony let out a breath of air, and shook his head, suddenly looking older. “No, kid, I’m the one who should be apologizing.”

Peter couldn’t have heard that right. “What.”

“I’m sorry.” Tony took off his sunglasses and looked Peter in the eye, suddenly serious. “I didn’t have all the facts, and I accused you of things that weren’t true, and that wasn’t fair, and I’m not a big enough dick that I don’t realize that now. So I’m going to treat you to lunch, okay.”

Peter just stared. “O . . . kay?”

Tony nodded. “Okay.”

It’s only when they pulled into a familiar fast food joint that Peter suddenly felt nervous again. “Mr. Stark, what -”

‘Come on.” Tony was already getting out, walking towards the McDonald's front doors. “Lets get some grub.”

Peter looked at Happy, but the driver said nothing, only nodding toward Tony. Peter questionably got out and followed. 

Aunt May was working the cash register today, and she froze when both him and Tony walked in. Her eyes darting back and forth, the brown looking darker with the bags under her eyes. “What? Peter, shouldn’t you be in school?”

Peter just gave her his own confused shrug, trying to convey that he had no clue what was going on either. Tony leaned on the counter.

“Mrs. Parker, I wanted to tell you how well your nephew has been doing as one of my interns.” The billionaire told her point blank, casually dropping that lie.

Aunt May looked startled and Peter started to sweat. 

“Okay?” May said, sounding more confused by the minute. “That’s good, but -”

“And as his guardian,” Tony continued. “I wanted your permission before I hired him on as a full fledged employee of Stark Industries.”

A line was starting to form behind Peter, but he could hardly care as it seemed that peter.exe has stopped working. Aunt May was also starring, jaw dropped, at Tony. 

“Wha- wait.” She blubbered, totally flabbergasted. “Do you? Do you mean that -”

“He would be my lab assistant. Salary starts at $56,000 and includes all the normal bells and whistles. Including dental insurance, because what are we, savages?” Tony smiled in a way that shows he knew he fixed something. Like he knew he solved a problem.

He turned to Peter. “The thing is, it’s going to be a bog job, so any other engagements might need to be taken into consideration -”

“I’ll quit!” Peter cried, finally comprehending what this was. “Boy, can I quit! No more pictures, nothing, I promise!”

Aunt May was smiling now too, wide and almost disbelieving. Tony’s smile grew too, and he ruffled Peter’s hair.

“So, um, congrats on the new job and all,” said someone behind them, “but are you gonna, like, order anything or . . .?”


End file.
